Travel – Travels with the Booths.blog

Visiting Chang Mai …and then onto ‘our’ elephants.

It’s a long time since we visited Chang Mai so we were looking forward to going back there again, The flight from Bangkok is just over an hour which was quite long enough having sat for eleven hours on the first plane. The airport in Chiang Mai is in the middle of the city so it didn’t take long for our taxi driver to drop us off at The Twenty Lodge, a small guest house, along a quiet back street just off one of the main roads. After a couple of hours sleep we had a wander round to get the lay of the land. Walking just a short way we passed several temples which as there are hundreds within the ancient walls of the city, wasn’t surprising. We decided however that sightseeing would have to wait as we were quite content to slowly acclimatise to the heat in an attempt to keep awake.

**The delightful boutique hotel ‘The Twenty Lodge.’**

John had researched and found what appeared to be a good place to eat on our first evening. The description of the restaurant was spot-on. The owner greeted us and after being served with a welcome glass of cool Chang beer we were shown to our table in the delightful outside garden. It was an excellent outdoor space to sit in this bustling city and the food was excellent too. Before we’d even finished our meal we’d decided to go back to ‘Link Cuisine’ a second night …which we did.

Looking at the website for The Twenty Lodge Hotel there’s one big omission …it doesn’t say what a fabulous choice there is in the buffet-style breakfast. I’m not sure what some of the dishes were but I tried most of them during the four days we were there. I gave the green curry a miss although I’m sure it was delicious but even for a curry lover like me, it was just a tad too early. The croissant and home-made jams were instant hits, also the variety of fresh fruit on offer The staff there were so helpful particulary the people on reception. Having caught up on sleep and eaten a huge breakfast we were ready to explore this ancient city.

The Buddhist temple of Wat Phra Singh was just around the corner from where we were staying. It’s one of the most revered temples in the city and houses a stunning 15th century statue of Buddha made of copper and gold. There is a lot to like about Buddhist temples. The atmosphere is very relaxed and it’s only one or two that charge an entrance fee to tourists and even then it’s only a few Baht. I always have a scarf with me as shoulders should be covered and flip flops are a good idea as they can be slipped off easily before going inside a temple. Very short, shorts are also frowned on.

**15th century Buddha resplendent in copper and gold.**

**The beautiful gardens at Wat Pra Singh**.

Moving on further down the road and already feeling the heat, quite literally, we arrived at another must-see Temple, Wat Chedi Luang.

Wat Chedi Luang is an enormous ‘Chedi’ like a stoopa, 282 feet high and 144 feet wide. The structure was damaged by an earthquake in 1545 and as it’s not structually sound it’s not possible to go inside. Having said that, it is very impressive. The stone elephants remaining on the other side of the building were a nice surprise. We thought how impressive it would have been if all the elephant scuptures had survived the earthquake. Imagine on each side the elephants looking down on you! As you can see, there are still some impressive features remaining of this ancient temple, especially the Nagas defending what would have been the main entrance. The painted warriors are probably 20th century.

There is a lot to see in the grounds including these two big ‘gongs’. The wooden ‘striker’ is as heavy as it looks but keeping with Buddhist tradition we hit the gong three times.

After sitting in the shade for a while we carried on exploring. We stopped for lunch just by the city wall before walking through into the ‘newer’ part of Chiang Mai. By the wall were quite a few of what appeared to be mostly Japanese tourists having their picture taken with hordes of pigeons flying around them. There’s certainly no shortage of these birds roosting in and on the walls but why people want to annoy them so they flap around in their pictures, I don’t know. Thankfully when you looked the other way you could enjoy the picturesque moat which runs all around the city.

**There’s always something to see as you wander around Chiang Mai.**

**Interesting statue spotted in a temple garden.**

I haven’t mentioned the variety of shops in the city as well as there is lots of choice when it comes to places to eat. This is authentic Thai food so it’s hard to make a bad choice as there’s loads of places to eat. Chiang Mai is also known for its local handicrafts and although there’s plenty of ‘tacky’ things on sale I did find a wonderful shop full of good-quality handicrafts, some locally made, and spent time and money in there although the prices were reasonable. We did walk around a couple more Wats before feeling ‘templed-out’ and going back to our hotel to relax by the pool.

The next day we were picked up from The Twenty Lodge by a minibus from Asia Scenic, a Thai Cooking School. There are a number of these schools but this one was recommended by the hotel. We picked up several other people on the way to downtown Chiang Mai where we met the rest of our group who like us had chosen to do a half day at their organic farm. They were a lovely, lively group, all ready to learn more about the real Thai cuisine and cook it too. After intros and instruction from our guide we walked to the market where she explained about the herbs, vegetables and spices we were going to cook with and showed us examples displayed on a variety of the stalls.

**The fascinating market in Chiang Mai followed by our tour of the organic garden.**

This company offers a variety of classes, whole or half day, in the town or on the farm. That’s the class we chose as it was a chance to get out of the city and see an organic Thai farm and learn more about the herbs and vegetables they grow there. After touring around the market we were taken by mini bus to the farm where we would be cooking in the open-air kitchen. There were twelve of us in the group; a mix of nationalities and ages. The youngest in our group was five, we were the oldest …so there was a good mix of ages, all full of enthusiasm and ready to cook. Walking around the gardens was very interesting and we learnt a lot about the plants etc. grown there. As for cooking the dishes we had each chosen, well that was great fun especially using the unfamiliar turbo gas. Before getting onto the mini bus to head back to the city we were given a recipe book so we could (in theory) produce the same dishes at home.

**The organic kitchen garden and the open air kitchen.**

That evening, which was a Sunday, we walked to the (almost) one kilometer long Rachadamnoen Road where the famous Sunday Night Market is set up. The market starts at 4.00pm until midnight and hundreds incuding locals and of course us tourists are drawn to it. The place was packed! Squeezing between all the stalls became a challenge so you just have to push your way through. I didn’t spot too many things to buy but it wasn’t for the variety of things on sale, I just felt it was too much of a hassle to stop at the stalls. It was less crowded when we walked back up the road so I did by a couple of things before diving into one of the cafes along the street. That was the best bit; sitting there drinking a beer, eating a curry and just watching the people walk by.

It’s Monday morning, our fifth day in Thailand and we’re picking up a hire car from the airport and then heading off to spend a few hours with elephants. Just typing that reminds me of the wonderful time we spent at the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre Tecc at Hang Chat, Lampang. We were last there in 2006 and now we were back again to see ‘our’ elephants. More about that in my next Blog.

A week in sunny Kos.

The Greek island of Kos

**Near Kefalos and our apartment at Andreas Studios with its fab. swimming pool.**

We needed a week’s holiday, somewhere that wouldn’t cost the earth and preferably with some good weather. Mentioning this to our neighbour he told us about apartments on the island of Kos run by friends which has reasonably priced rooms, a lovely swimming pool and a good restauarant. It wasn’t long before we had booked a room at Andreas & Rita’s Studios,near the town of Kefalos. https://www.self-catering-apartments-kos.co.uk/

As you can see from the pictures, the coastline is beautiful and was just down the road from the apartment. Andreas & Rita were so welcoming and after leaving the cases in our very spacious apartment we enjoyed an excellent meal in their restaurant washed down with a few pints of lager. This was defintely the right place for us and we couldn’t wait to explore the area the next day.

It was tempting to have a swim in the pool first but we decided to walk down to the shops of which there were just a few including a very good supermarket which had all the things we needed – fresh fruit, warm croissant, jam and yogurt. After a very slow breakfast we did hit the pool and lazed there for much of the rest of the day. That evening we had a meal at one of the many local restaurants along the seafront. ‘Tanipota’ is a relatively new tapas-style restaurant in Kamari Bay a five minute walk from our apartment and is very popular.

The next day a car came to collect us to take us to the car hire place. We’d booked a car for five days so we could look around the island. Kos is only a small island but having said that, there’s lots to see and do. Sandy beaches (although not all), stunning views, hilly outcrops to explore, a varied countryside with picturesque villages of typical Greek whitewashed houses, full of flowers and taverns offering tasty local food, and the quaint capital of Kos Town. Here’s a selection of pictures taken during our trips round:-

This 205 year old windmill is well worth a visit and the only windmill still in use on the island. There’s no charge to go inside where a guide tells you about the workings but you are expected to pay for your refreshments by buying some of the delicious biscuits made from the flour. A good gift shop too.

Driving around we stopped at one of the tourist spots to look at all the peacocks. There were lots of cats too and a chap selling food to give to the tame peacocks. There’s probably a story as to why they’re at this particular spot in the forest but we didn’t find out what it was.

There are Greek churches dotted everywhere around and often like this one, nowhere near a town or village. I like photographing churches and was very pleased this one was open. It was just down the road from the peacock place. The painted murals inside were beautiful and I also liked the simplicity of the interior. Not always the case as you’ll see towards the end of this Blog.

**Views from the ruined castle at Kefalos**

That evening we drove up to Kefalos town to a restauarant which had had a very good write-up. We could see why. We had an excellent meal at Maistrali and would recommend it. This is a hillside town with great views but to get a full panorama you need to walk slightly out of the town to the ruined castle. There’s hardly anything left but it’s worth the climb up for the views. I found it quite tricky getting back down to the road but I wasn’t wearing the right shoes! Can you spot the two cats lounging on the edge of the cliff enjoying the evening sun?

**Entrance into Kos Town. The Harbour front, Hippocrates statue and the new town area**

Like most people visiting the island for the first time we spent a day in Kos Town. What a great place. I expect at the height of the summer it would be packed with tourists but out of season it wasn’t. We were impressed with the harbour and all the well-maintained gardens and flower beds. We had a snack at one of the cafes on the harbour front and weren’t charged a ridiculous amount. We both thought that the architecture had a moorish feel about it. I thoroughly enjoyed browsing the little shops in the narrow streets away from the front and bought a couple of things. That called for lunch and we were spoilt for choice. In the end we ate at ‘Zorbas Eat Greek’ in the Old Town and very much enjoyed it.

Walking back out of town on the way to the large, free car park we spotted a sign for the Odeon Roman ampitheatre. It’s quite something and well preserved with restored marble seating & galleries. The catacombs underneath are interesting too.

**Views from the terrace at Jenny Camel bistro.**

After our trip to Kos Town we decided to spend a lazy morning the next day by the pool and then to check out a couple of beaches. Camel Beach is very popular and has two restaurants, which are only a few meters apart: Jenny Camel, we were told offers more of a personal service and that was borne out by the very warm welcome. The home made bread was delicious but we turned down the kind offer of taking another loaf away with us as a gift. They were cetainly lovely, generous people.

**‘Agios Theologos Beach’** **(ignore the wonky skyline!)**

We then spent a couple of hours on another beach chilling out before driving over to ‘Agios Theologos Beach’ known appropriately as ‘Sunset Beach’. Tourists flock to the west coast of the island to watch the flame-coloured sunsets from this beach and see the chiselled cliffs and coves.

When we were there it was really quiet, just a few people and it wasn’t the best of sunsets but the coastline is impressive. A decent pair of shoes is useful when you’re scrabbling around as the sand is very gritty.

It was our penultimate day so we wanted to do some more exploring. First stop was the ruins of an ancient healing temple & medical school where Hippocrates once practiced. Asklipieio is about 4km from Kos town and is the site of a historic hospital. The ruins date from the first half of the 3rd century BC and are extensive. Great for photography particularly on a beautiful, sunny day. The entrance charge is €8.00 which is well worth it. You also get great views from the site down to Kos and across to the Turkish coast.

After wandering around the Greek ruins we were in need of something to eat …and drink. We had planned to stop at the village of Lagoudi Zia which is a small mountain village. Zia is a popular place to visit and is known for ‘its charming cobbled lanes lined with tavernas, shops for handmade crafts, and traditional blue-and-white houses. Domed Orthodox churches dot the village, and there sweeping views extend to the coast’. Having said all this which I’ve ‘lifted’ from a guide book I have to confess that we drove through it and didn’t stop. Even out of season the streets were teeming with tourists and all we could see was shop after shop of Greek ‘tat’. Not for us so we carried on to the next village and had lunch in a small family-run cafe with just a few locals and a couple of other visitors. Much more enjoyable and peaceful too.

**Ruins of the castle and settlement of Palaio Pyli**

The drive round after lunch was quite something with narrow winding roads and stunning views, we seemed to be climbing up forever. I can’t remember whether we had already decided to walk up to this ruined castle or whether we saw it and thought we’d give it a try. The ruins and settlement of Palaio Castle tower above the village of Pylie and is reached by going up a forest path about three kilometres or so. Along the way you come across ruined churches and other signs of the settlement which dates back to the 11th century. The view of the castle remains was tantalising and although the path up there was very uneven, mostly cobbles, we didn’t think about giving up until we got near the top. It was tough and even though we don’t like to be beaten we looked at the final stage and knew we had to turn back. It was disppointing but I did get some shots of the ruins and the terrain and the resident goats.

**Ruins of one of the three churches in the Pyli settlement**

This had been quite an active day to say the least so that evening we decided to go back to the fish restaurant, Cavos Taverna which was just around the corner from our apartment. Not only is the fish cooked beautifully but Mama’s home made honey cake is delicious. Everyone is given this to round off the meal. I was tempted to go round the plates on other tables where people had left some and hoover it up. I should have asked for the recipe.

The other restaurant we visited twice was Maistrali in Kefalos which we would also recommend. Just before we went for our meal we wandered around the town and looked inside the main church. This church is nothing like the one we’d been to earlier in the week; the inside of this one is decorated …everywhere. There’s not a square inch left uncovered as you can see.

I hope this Blog has given you a flavour of the island of Kos. We thoroughly enjoyed our week and wouldn’t hesitate to say that if you decide to visit do get in touch with Andreas & Rita’s Studios, https://www.self-catering-apartments-kos.co.uk/ Lovely people, spacious apartment, good food and a great location.

A Christmas trip to Chester.

A vist to Chester at Christmas

Not being very enthusiastic when it comes to doing Christmas shopping we decided to spend a couple of days in Chester hoping to buy most things there and explore this ancient Cathedral city. We knew there was lots to do in the city but because it was just a short mini-break we knew we wouldn’t have time to do it all. We checked out the shows and other attractions going on whilst we were there and for our second night booked seats for the evening performance of ‘A Christmas Carol’ in Chester Cathedral. As well as seeing the show we wanted to visit The Christmas Tree Festival in the Cloisters which each year is filled with fifty beautifully decorated trees.

First of all …and a great find for our two-night stay was the reasonably-priced Mill Hotel & Spa. Just a short walk along the canal into the city centre. Parking per day in their safe compound opposite the hotel was cheaper than parking in the city and the chance to relax in their spa after a day’s shopping was just too tempting. The ample buffet-style breakfast was included in the price and the bar prices were a lot cheaper than we expected for a hotel. Honestly, if you’re looking for a place to stay in the centre of Chester you won’t do better than the Mill Hotel.

**A short walk from the hotel to the city centre.**

By the time we’d sorted out a few things it was mid afternoon so we walked along the canal path into the city centre to get the lay of the land. It was quite busy being so close to Christmas but we had a good walk round, went into a few shops and then as the light was fading we headed for the Cathedral. The entrance fee to see the Christmas trees was a modest £3 per person. The Festival runs until January 7th 2024.

We walked to the nave first and were struck by the lighting in there. The ornate Rood screen which is a common feature in late medieval church architecture looked stunning illuminated in red.

We then went into the Cloisters; again beautifully lit and full of Christmas trees which are decorated by local people, organisations and businesses.

The decorated Chrisrmas trees were beautiful but it was the statue in the garden which caught my eye as we walked around the Cloisters. It was the perfect time to appreciate this as with the daylight fading, the blue light on the sculpture really stood out. This website gives information on this beautiful work of art.

“The water feature depicts the encounter between Jesus and the Woman of Samaria, showing their shared bowl overflowing with water. The theme of water also suggests a link to how the Benedictine monks water supply was at the centre of the cloister garden”.

As we walked aound the Cathedral we came across several more decorated Christmas trees including this one pictured below. I’m not sure what Freddie would have made of being stuck on the top of a Christmas tree?!

Having walked around most of the Cathedral we headed back to our hotel weaving through the Christmas market and making a mental note to come back to look at the stalls the next day. That evening we enjoyed an excellent Thai meal at Siam Thai just a stones throw from our hotel.

In the morning having had a superb buffet-stye breakfast, eating as much as we wanted, we walked into town ready to hit the shops. It’s easier if we split up to do this kind of shopping so we arranged to meet up a couple of hours later. After a while of ploughing through a few large shops I needed to have a break and wasn’t surprised when I phoned John that he was feeling the same. We saw a sign for teas etc outide a church right in the city centre at The Cross and decided that was the perfect place to recharge our batteries. The cafe at St Peter’s was doing a roaring trade which wasn’t surprising as the prices were very reasonable. The building itself is facing all kinds of problems which was obvious seeing strong ties strung between the stone pillars and other indications that this church has got a serious structural problem. They need to raise a lot of money that’s for sure but it was great to see it being used and well supported in more ways than one.

Having sat for a while we hit the shops again but it wasn’t long before I needed the loo. No chance we decided walking along The Rows which are famous two-tiered timber-framed galleries which run along the main streets of the city. Some interesting local shops which was all very well but it was time to head to find the loos in the large shopping centre. Would you beleive we saw two sign for ‘toilets’ but never found them, then my man had a brain wave – there are always loos in publc buildings. We wanted to look round the Christmas market anyway and the stalls were right in front of the very imposing Gothic building which is the Town Hall so we headed straight there. The picture below was taken later that day but you can see how grand the building is. No wonder you can go on a guided tour.

We went on our own tour around the building and eventually found the toilets on the first floor. All very grand with blue ceramic Victorian pedestals – wish I’d taken a picture but it didn’t occur to me at the time. It is an amazing building inside which you can probably see from these pictures taken from the impressive oak staircase.

**Gothic splendour in Chester Town Hall.**

We then had a wander around the stalls of the Christmas Market and bought some expensive fudge. After more trawling round shops and fitting in lunch, we decided to head back to the hotel for some R&R. Actually we spent the rest of the afternoon in the pool area which was just perfect. Steam room, sauna, jacuzzi and best of all the pool and all for free. It was so relaxing and just what we needed.

Once sorted we had a drink in the hotel bar before walking to the Cathedral in time for that night’s performance of ‘A Christmas Carol’ …and what a setting! The nave area was transformed into a theatre -a cold one at that! The play was a little late starting so I took a few pictures which give an idea of how the nave was changed into a theatre.

It was an excellent performance, particularly from the main character, if a little long. When it’s a cold environment people start to get fidgety and our thoughts strayed to the meal we’d booked at Ristorante Sergio. We hoped they would serve us as the clock was ticking and it was getting late. Fortunately we did get our meal and what an excellent one it was. They could have turned us away but didn’t and we both said it was one of the best Italian meals we’d had in this country.

Yet more food the next morning but it was hard to resist the English Breakfast served at The Mill and we did have quite a journey ahead of us back to Gloucestershire. It had been a good couple of days away and we’d managed to do quite a lot of Christmas shopping in between various other activities. We liked Chester very much and know that when we go back there’s lots of things still for us to do and of course we know exactly where we would stay.

**Walking through to the Cathedral Grounds.**

Holiday in Kanchanaburi & Sangkhlaburi, Thailand.

Kanchanabury to Sangkhlaburi

As soon as we land at Bangkok we head out, north-west to the town of Kanchanaburi. It takes about three hours by car. We used to stay in Bangkok and catch the early morning train but quite honestly now as soon as we land we just want to get to our favourite place – https://www.orientalkwai.com we love The Oriental Kwai Resort. It’s peaceful, the gardens are beautiful, the pool is great and the food served at the riverside restaurant is excellent. In the evening there is nothing more relaxing than walking down to the riverside to watch the calm, waters of the River Kwai flow by as the sun sets slowly behind the trees.

**Cottage no 10 at ‘Oriental Kwai’ – we’ve arrived!**

**Inside no 10 with welcoming flowers. The shrine is just by our balcony.**

**Beautiful, lush tropical gardens. Delightful swimming pool, rhs pic taken from the banks of the River Kwai.**

Getting over jet lag didn’t take us long. On our first day I walked into the nearby town of Lat Ya and John cycled. At least my legs didn’t let me down unlike the bike …a flat tyre. Both feeling hot and not yet adjusted to the heat we called into the cafe bar on the way back. We ordered a cold drink, not having a clue what was coming but it was very refreshing.

**The shady patio area at the Slow Bar cafe and a very refreshing drink.**

The owner very kindly, understanding the bike problem stored it away behind the garden gate. When we got back to Oriental Kwai, John told Evelyn, one of the owners that we’d had to leave the bike at the cafe. “No problem”, she said. “No-one around here would steal it”.

An over-energetic morning had left us rather tired so after a splendid lunch washed down with a Singha beer we spent the afternoo by the pool. A little later, as we always do, we walked down to the river to watch the sun go down.

A boat trip down from Oriental Kwai to Kanachanaburi is well worth it espcially if you can share the cost with another couple. You get a great view of the iconic bridge over the river and arrive in the city avoiding the traffic.

**A trip down the river Kwai starting from the hotel.**

**The popular floating restaurant alongside the iconic bridge over the river Kwai.**

We’ve been to the bridge many times but never seen the area so quiet. Maybe we’d got there before the tourist buses or perhaps the tourist trade just hasn’t picked up again yet?

**Great to take pictures without the bridge swarming with tourists.**

The various stalls were really quiet but I made one trader’s day when I bought three of her bracelets. She waved the banknotes around to signify she was delighted to have made a sale.

The next day we picked up a hire car and John drove to Sangkhlaburi. It’s an easy drive until you get about forty kilometres from the town and then it’s hilly with lots of bends until you arrive down into the town. Goods views of the lake but it’s not easy for the driver to look.

Sangkhlaburi is a small town, surounded by mountains and sits at the end of the Khae Laem Lake. It has an interesting mixture of cultures because of its location near the Burmese border. The people are a mix of Thai, many from the Mon ethnic group who have their own language and customs and Burmese people who have left their country and settled in the town. It’s famous for its handmade wooden bridge which although it looks old, it isn’t. Spanning the river this bridge is the longest wooden bridge in Thailand and was built to link the town with the splendid Wat Wang Wiwekaram temple. It spans the Song Kalia river from the town to the Mon village of Wang Kha. A section of the bridge was washed away a few years ago and was quickly rebuilt. The water level of the lake drops dramatically in the dry season which is a good time to take a boat trip to see the three temples which were submerged when a dam was built across the lake and completely covered the village in the valley.

We chose to go to Sangkhlaburi at this time as we knew there was a festival celebrating young boys becoming novice monks. We were a little late getting there so we missed the boys and their families processing across the bamboo bridge but I got some pictures as the crowds went past us.

**Young novices and their families celebrating this special day.**

A little later that day we saw the young boys in their colourful robes; their hair closely cut and clearly getting used to their new attire. Traditionally the young novices serve in the temple for a minimum period of three months. These days some monks serve for as little as 15 days or a week. A family earns great respect and merit when a son becomes a monk.

**Enjoying the sights of the river before returning to the temple.**

Sangkhlaburi is not yet on the tourist’s radar but it won’t be long before it becomes a popular destination. True it’s a small town and there’s not masses to do but the Thai Buddhist temple, Wang Wiwekaram Temple is spectacular and well worth a visit; the boat trip to the sunken temples is a must and the ride through the forest to the new and huge floating Buddha which just a handful of Thai tourists have discovered makes for an interesting itinerary. We chose basic cafes on both nights where not surprisingly not a word of English was spoken (we didn’t expect it) and the menu was of course written in Thai. We managed to order beer and as we’re happy to eat most things, we were content with a rice dish. The second cafe had no pictures of the dishes but one of the diners came to our rescue having got an App on her phone which translated the menu (very handy). During our two-day stay we found the people very friendly and helpful.

On our second day we drove to a Mon-Karen village near the Myanmar border. It’s wise not to go right to the border and anyway there isn’t much to see. The road turns into a dust track before you get there which was enough to signal we should turn back.

I’ve mentioned the ‘floating’ Buddha which is a new statue built on one of the hillsides just outside of town but there is another important temple Chedi Phutthakhaya which we didn’t visit this time. It’s style is very different to that of the Wang Wiwekaram Temple and to be honest it wouldn’t look out of place on a Disney set. Lots of stalls selling tourist rubbish run alongside the car park. If you are tight for time definitely drive or walk up through the tree-lined path up to the new Buddha. The site is unfinished but even with Buddha covered in scaffolding, ‘he’ is magnificiant and can be seen ‘floating’ above the ground from miles around. It appears the temple has yet to be named. I can imagine when the temple is officially opened the celebration will go on for days. We really liked this area. It’s very peaceful and the way the route has been designed to wind through the trees is lovely. The views from the top are stunning and I particuarly liked the way you could glimpse the golden rooftops of Wat Wang Wiwekaram through the trees. The Wat was our next stop.

**The beautiful Wat Wang Wiwekaram temple**.
**Many of the monks are from the Mon ethnic group.**

The temple is open from 1.30am until 12.30pm and I should imagine whatever time you visit there will be groups of people sat everywhere along the marble corridors. When we visited there was an exhibiton of photographs hung all along the vast corridors. Brilliant pictures by various local photographers showing the lives of the local people, great portaits and group shots and Festivals. This little girl has her face decorated in traditional Burmese style with yellow ochre. (I’ve lifted this from Google) …”Traditionally, the women grind the bark of the thanakha tree on a flat circular stone with a bit of water. This creates a milky yellow liquid that dries quickly when applied to the skin. This mixture creates a powdery protective ideal not only for faces but also for the arms.” This little girl was very sweet and loved learning ‘Pat-a-cake’, no language barrier with this game.

**The temple is a sacred place for all nationalities living in Sangkhlaburi,**
**especially for Mon people**.

All this walking round made us very thirsty so we headed down to the Mon village where I bought a T-shirt from one of the many shops lining the main route then we sat and had a cold drink followed by free bananas and tea.

Ready to face the afternoon heat once more we walked to the Thai side by the Mon bridge and came across a local boatman who for 500 baht took us on the lake to see the three sunken temples: the Karen’s Srisuwan Temple, the Mon’s Wat Wang Wiwekaram temple and the Thai Wat Somdet temple.

The only structure from the submerged town that remains today is the Waat Sam Prasob shrine, also known as the Sunken Temple. Built by the Mon and Karen tribes, it was once the heart of the old town before the dam flooded the area in 1984.

As we were there in the dry season we were able to walk around and take a closer look at the inside. I was in my element taking pictures and would have stayed longer but our boatman had two more temples to show us.

**The middle picture is of the second temple -Srisuwan Karen’s temple, which we saw from all sides. (Not terribly interesting).**

He then took us across the lake to the old Wat Somdet Temple. We moored and then walked up past a small village to this ancient abandoned Thai temple. It reminded us of Angkor Wat with all the tree roots entwined amongst the stonework.

Having sailed back along by the Karen’s temple again we ended our hour-long trip with this delightful boatman by floating gently under the Mon bridge and sat for the obligatory picture with the bridge as a backdrop.

**The specatacular Mon bridge and the Booths returning from the three sunken-temple boat tour.**

It was time for a beer so we headed for the cafe on the Thai side of the Mon Bridge to watch the sun setting over the Song Kalla river. A final picture of our boat heading back was a fitting close to our two days in Sangkhlaburi. We felt we’d done the place justice on this our return visit. It is an interesting place and I’m sure it won’t be long before the town is firmly on the tourist route.

Travelling in central Spain Part II

A tour of Central Spain including Oropesa and Candelario

There are lots of things we love about Spain and getting ‘free food’ when you order a drink is one of them. We’d left Toledo going round by the scenic route just to have one more glimpse of the old city before heading off towards Oropesa.

We were taking our time and decided to leave the main road and head for a village to see if the castle there was open – it wasn’t. The ‘town’ itself, and this is the only way I can describe it, is very utalitarian in its layout. Row upon row of small, identical houses in a regimented grid. The factory was nearby and so this town was obviously purpose-built but seemed to lack any soul. As we only walked to the castle we might have got the wrong impression of the place but it wasn’t somewhere we wanted to linger.

**A splendid castle on the edge of the town**. **(Perhaps its only feature)?**

Back on the main road again and by this time we felt we needed a drink. We didn’t have to wait too long as we arrived at Talavera de la Reina. It’s a large city famous for ceramics. As we were driving round the ring road we spotted a cafe in the park. It was like an ‘Imbis’-style cafe you get in Germany. We only ordered two beers but along with that came a free tapas. It was so tasty, you really feel you’re getting lunch for nothing. It certainly set us up for the last part of our journey to Oropesa.

In Spain there are state owned luxury hotels that are usually located in historic buildings, Parador de Oropesa is no exception. This part of the 15th century castle was fully restored in 1930 and converted into the first Parador. It is a beautiful place to stay and is full of paintings and artefacts and lush furnishings. Price-wise it’s not as expensive as you would think. There are actually two castles on the site; the Parador being the 15th century Palace of the Alvarez de Toledo family and the other, looking more like a castle is a partially preserved Arab fortress built around the same time.

Parador do Oropesa — **Parador de Oropesa** **(one of the castles).**

I’m sure there are some great views from the parapet across to the mighty Sierra de Gredos but it was overcast and drizzling when we got up the next day and the visibilty was poor. Having said that we were given a warm welcome at the castle and were able to wander around on our own – we were the only visitors and paid a modest €1.50 each, the concession price which was great value. Every year in April the town celebrates “Medieval Days” with everyone, including riders on horseback taking to the streets to converge on the castle where much festivities take place and much alcohol consumed (by all accounts).

14th century castle at Oropesa — **Castello de Oropesa**

With the weather improving slightly we decided to stop at the medieval city of Plasencia. There is so much evidence of the importance of this area in those times. The old quarter includes ancestral homes owned by the noblemen and many signifiant religious buildings. Placensia has significant historical remains with ramparts enclosing most of the centre of the city. We were lucky that day as the weekly market was in full swing. All the produce was displayed beautifully on the stalls including one which was selling nothing but young vegetable plants to take home and plant in your own garden. Certainly takes the stress out of trying to grow your own from seed!

The only thing was, because there were so many stalls and shoppers it was hard to appreciate the main square which is lined with lots of splendid buildings including The City Hall. Placensia is well worth a visit. I wish now we’d gone into the Old and New Cathedrals but we did wander through several of the medieval streets with some interesting architecture. A good place for shops too.

And now it was time to head for the hills. Next stop, the little village of Candelario where we were staying the night. It’s a very historic place, steeped in history and is described as one of the most beautiful villages in Spain. We were definitely going to include this one in our itinerary. Because we were there before the summer tourist season got into full swing it was very quiet. Come the summer tourist season people flock here to marvel at the traditional architecture, learn more of it’s cultural history and enjoy the beautiful setting. In the winter its a thriving resort being near to a ski station. Candelario nestles between high mountains and driving the winding road up to it we were grateful to our hotel for giving us such precise directions. There’s a car park at the top of the village and it wasn’t far to trundle our cases down the uneven street to our hotel, Posada de Candelario. More about this sweet little hotel in a moment.

**On the right is our hotel, Posada de Candelario.**

Originally the villagers made their living mainly from cattle. They slaughtered the animals in the streets by the many fountains dotted here and there and the blood was washed away down the narrow watercourses which run alongside the ‘main’ streets. That way the village stayed clean and the fast flowing water was always crystal clear.

**Some of the interesing things we spotted on our walk round Candelario.** **The poster is advertising one of the many festivals which take place in this region.**

The picture below (top rh) shows half a door in front of the entrance to some of the houses. Most of the villagers would have had one outside their house which protected it from the snow but also prevented animals from going in or out of the house. Days gone by animals used to live on the bottom floor in order to provide warmth to the house, also it was a way to keep the house ventilated during the season of slaughtering (it lasted during all the cold months, from November to February). Pigs were kept too from which sausages were made and sold throughout Spain.

**Top left – one of the many medieval fountains. Bottom right – a view from the car park of the snow-capped Sierra de Béjar mountain range.** **The three central pictures show the cosy sitting room at Posada de Candelario, our bedroom and one of the hotel cats on Reception duty.**

Our hotel couldn’t have been more different from the one in Oropesa. Posada de Candelario is located in an old Casa Chacinera built in the XIXth centrury. The building is full of character as you can imagine with oak beams, wooden stairs to the first floor and beyond. We were given a very warm welcome by Enrique and it wasn’t long before we felt very much at home. A spacious bedroom with a lovely, cosy bed was perfect.

The drinks and snacks in the sitting room are on a help-yourself-basis; simply write down what you’ve had and it’s added to your bill. The cats come and join you to have a warm by the fire in the sitting room and the breakfast was excellent with lots of home-made jams, warm croissants and as many cups of tea and coffee as you like. One of the reasons for mentioning food is that we weren’t able to find a restaurant in the village that evening that was open. We found the only pub in the village that was open. The food was limited as was the landlord’s conversation but we had some local ham and cheese and a beer which was something. The savoury snacks back at the hotel were very welcome too. In the tourist season the hotel serves evening meals and by all accounts, reading the reviews, the food is excellent.

We enjoyed our short stay at this cozy hotel in Oropesa and would have liked to have lingered longer but our next stop was the famous city of Salamanca. This UNESCO World Heritage city is one of Spain’s most beautiful and we were so excited to get there. More about that in the third part of this Blog on our tour of Central Spain.

Travelling around central Spain Part 1

Holiday in Central Spain – Toledo

Toledo is an ancient city set on a hill above the plains of Castilla-La Mancha in central Spain. It’s the capital of the region and is a favourite tourist destination known for the mix of medieval Arab, Jewish and Christian monuments within its walled city. A wonderful maze of narrow streets which takes on a magical feel when night falls.

**Bell tower of the Santa Isabel church adjacent to our hotel.**

Driving to our hotel was interesting as the streets got narrower and narrower. The receptionist had emphasised that our hire car must be a small one otherwise we wouldn’t get through …how right she was! Nevertheless we arrived without scraping any paintwork at Hotel Santa Isabel which was a perfect spot to stay being right in the heart of the walled city. The picture above was taken from the roof terrace and is the church of Saint Isabel. I love the golden evening light on the campanile. Of all the places we stayed during our week in Spain this hotel gave us the best breakfast and the room and service was very good too. We highly recommend this hotel.

**Main picture is the view from our balcony and the two pictures of the cathedral were taken from the terrace of the hotel.**

On our first evening we wandered towards the Jewish quarter and had a tasty meal washed down with a carafe of reasonably priced vino in a very modest ‘locals’ restaurant .

Day two in the city and unusually for us we decided to go on the tourist train to see more of Toledo. It saved us from getting the car out from the very tricky hotel car park and it was an easy and inexpensive way to see the sights. The tour lasts about 45 minutes and as well as passing some of the landmarks in the old town the train takes you along the river Tagus with views of several interesting bridges and then goes up to the Mirador del Valle.

**Some of the views taken during our trip on the tourist train.**

From the Mirador del Valle you look down on the Tagus river which encircles Toledo. From the viewpoint where the bus stops for about fifteen minutes to give people a chance to take pictures you can see Toledo’s landmarks …the Cathedral, the Jesuit Church and the Alcazar. This is a just an amazing panorama. I can imagine that if you’re up there at sunset it looks even more breathtaking. We were impressed with the trip on the train; it’s easy to see why it’s so popular. We sat at the back which in our opinion were the best seats.

Once back in the city, we had a wander round the area just below the Alcazar as I wanted to take this view which is the last one in the set above. I love the the three roads snaking across and the castle in the background. I thought we might visit the castle but apparently it’s a youth hostel and as for the old fortress of Alcazar, well we gave that a miss as its a military museum now. It is an imposing building with its high walls and black pinnacles (?) on each of the four corners. Having decided we wouldn’t do the museum we settled for a couple of beers sat in the sun at a cafe opposite the Alcazar.

**Medieval gothic architecture and (some of) the painted walls and domed ceilings.**

After a bite to eat we headed to one of Toldeo’s main attractions, Catedral Primada or to give it its full name, Santa Inglesia Catedral Primada de Toledo. Do check out the opening times before you go. There is an admission charge but its well worth it. This medieval gothic religious edifice is majestic. There are several chapels to visit, also the Treasury and the Capitulary room and anteroom and you can climb the tower that’s 44 metres high to get great views of the city. Leave plenty of time for your visit.

**Main picture is of part of the cloisters, the side pictures are of the main chapel.**

I know it’s a personal observation but for me the most impressive part of the Cathedral is the Main Chapel with its enormous altarpiece which was started in the early sixteenth century and has been worked on by many craftsmen since. The gilding, the colours, the statues and the height is an incredible backdrop to the main altar.

On our way back to the hotel we spotted a restaurant just round the corner that also did tapas. Stupidly we didn’t think we needed to book as it was a Sunday evening but when we went back later we found out it was a popular place and was fully booked. We should have gone earlier as in Spain people tend not to go out to eat until at least 9 o’clock. However we’d enjoyed exploring the back streets and although the main streets were fairly quiet the shops were open. Not sure anyone was interested in buying a Toldeo sword for which the town is famous but the shop selling marzipan was still busy. Along with these rather gruesome-looking swords, Toledo is famous for its handmade marzipan.

Fortunately we’d been told about a tapas bar, El Trebol on the other side of the city which had a good write-up so we weren’t surprised when we arrived that we had to queue to get in. The wait wasn’t too long and it was worth it. We were first of all directed to the bar so no problem there. We were served a drink very quickly and given two small plates of delicious ‘taster’ tapas as an appetizer. Before long we were taken to our table, chose four meat dishes from the menu and had the tastiest tapas of the whole holiday.

**Sites of Toledo including one of the bridges spanning the river Tagus.**

**Puenta de alcantata on**e **of Toledo’s landmark bridges with El Alcazar in the background.**

Before we left Toledo we decided to re-trace the route of the tourist train and drive alongside the river. Two days in the city isn’t long enough to do justice to this former Spanish capital. We had wandered around the Jewish quarter but didn’t visit the synagogue. We hadn’t been inside the Mezquita Cristo de la Luz, a square-shaped mosque in the ancient medina and we hadn’t been to the Monastery of San Juan and any other monasteries for that matter. However we felt we had walked around most of the old town and done all we could in a short space of time. We never intend on our holidays to race around and when we’ve left things to do and see, well we can always go back.

Now it was time to move on and head across country to Oropesa. More about this Spanish town and others in the next part of this Blog.

A Taste of The New Forest 2.

A few days in The New Forest

It was a good choice to stay in Boldre. We liked the area as it was easy to get to places like Lymington, Lyndhurst and Brockenhurst. It’s a quiet village and as mentioned in my previous Blog, the pub, The Red Lion round the corner from our Airbnb served tasty pub grub and an excellent pint.

Unusually the parish church is not in the village itself but about a mile away. The church of St John the Baptist has a squat tower dating from the fourteenth century and as well as its imposing position on a hillock, the first thing you notice is the churchyard with tombstones standing to attention in straight rows and to the right of the church door, a stunning engraved glass window.

**The churchyard at St John the Baptist.**

As there was a service going on when we walked to the church the first time we decided to wander up the lane a few days later to see inside. Inside the church is a memorial to the servicemen who died on HMS Hood in a battle with the German battleship Bismark, 1418 people were on board with just three surviving. The officer in overall command was Vice Admiral Lancelot Holland who used to worship at the church and a memorial to those lost was erected by his widow. A service of commemoration is held every year.

**Memorial to the 1,415 seamen who perished on HMS Hood.**

As well as the memorial the interior of the church is well worth a mention especailly the modern stained glass window above the altar and the engraved glass window by the door depicting ‘The Tree of Life’.

After visiting the church we drove over to Lyndhurst to have a look around. I’d expected to see New Forest Ponies as we drove along but didn’t know there were donkeys roaming around too. In fact they are everywhere. The nice thing is that they totally ignore people and of course you shouldn’t touch them or feed them. We didn’t see anyone doing that but some people do get very close to them when taking pictures which makes me cross. You can tell when the donkeys are worried for their little ones as they stand over them to protect them.

We liked Lyndhurst as there were several interesting local shops in the High Street. We also visited the Gothic parish church which is very large and imposing. The William Morris windows are beautiful. Afterwards we drove to Brockenhurst which is the largest village in The New Forest but to be honest we weren’t that impressed … both of us thought as we were walking round that there must be more to the place but if there was, we didn’t find it. What was amusing though was the way the traffic ground to a halt at the top of the high street whilst about six cows ambled slowly along. A few locals came out of their houses to watch so maybe it wasn’t a regular ocurence. Not sure why I didn’t take a picture, it’s not like me to miss something like that.

**You don’t need to get close to get a cute picture.**

After walking around Brockenhurst and not being too impressed we headed to the coast to get some sea air before going back to our Airbnb. We took pot luck having never been along this coastline before and stopped at Barton-on-Sea. The cliffs are very impressive but it’s not a good idea to get too close to the edge as they are very crumbly as you can see from the picture. My man told me off for walking close to the edge, camera in hand, and of course he was right to do so.

**Barton-on-Sea and a view of ‘The Needles’**

That evening to celebrate our wedding anniversary we had booked a table at Lanes of Lymington. It had an excellent write-up and from reading their web site it sounded the perfect place to go for our meal. I have ‘lifted’ here part of the intro on their Home Page …Formerly a Church and School, the building is tucked away down a quiet cul de sac, just off the High Street and once ‘discovered’, offers romantic and exceptional, yet affordable, dining to suit all tastes. The split levels, small intimate alcoves, balconies and open plan ground floor are stylish and what you’d expect from a fashionable top London eatery. The restaurant did not disappoint. We had an excellent meal, not ridiculouly expensive. We felt we’d made a good choice for our anniversary meal.

**Palace House Beaulieu (above) and (below) one of the many historic houses in the village.**

For our last full day in The New Forest we decided to drive over to Exbury Gardens stopping on the way at Beaulieu, which is famous for its National Motor Museum.

I wasn’t particualrly interested in the Motor Museum so after walking around the village and checking out a couple of the gift shops we headed onto Exbury Gardens. We hadn’t gone very far before we had to slow down for several ponies and donkeys who were owning the road. It was another chance to take yet more pictures of these free-roaming animals. It’s rare to go more than a few miles before coming across the four-legged New Forest residents.

And finally we arrived at Exbury Gardens which had been recommended to us. The 200-acre garden was a 100 years in the making with the estate bought by Lionel de Rothschild in 1919. It has an excellent selection of contemporary and formal gardens, landscaped woodland and is located by the Beaulieu river. We enjoyed wandering around and as it was mid-week there were just a few visitors about. It was great to see the narrow-gauge steam railway in operation which runs around part of the gardens.

**Exbury House (top left), stone bridge and Top Pond**

**Marie-Louise Beer, wife of the founder of Exbury Gardens, Lionel de Rothschild.**

If you are in the New Forest, Exbury Gardens is well worth a visit. Closed in the winter it re-opens in mid-March.

**One of the many walks in the New Forest – a mix of woodland and open heathland.**

And now it was our last morning and time to leave. There’s so much to do in this area and although we felt we’d packed a lot in each day we knew there were many more walks and trails we hadn’t explored. As we drove away from our Airbnb in Boldre we stopped before leaving the National Park to do just one more short walk. The sun coming through the trees lighting up the forest floor was magical and just as we thought we were on our own, out trotted a pony. He stopped in his tracks and was as surprised to see us as we were to see him. We stopped and waited and with one last haughty stare, from the pony, that is, he went on his way.

These ponies are free to roam and are owned by local families using their commoning rights.

We had enjoyed our five days in The New Forest and will definitely go back.There are events happening throughout the year and if the two Blogs on our stay in this area have whetted your appetite, here are two useful websites to help you plan your visit.

newforestnpa.gov.uk/events forestryengland.uk/new-forest

A week in Cumbria – Part two

Holiday in Cumbia

It’s been a while since I wrote about our visit to Cumbria but at long last, here I go with Part Two of the story!

**A circular walk from our ‘The Old Dairy’, our Airbnb.**

It’s the fourth day of our holiday and it was time to do some more exploring of the local area. There are so many walks around where we were staying it was hard to choose, however the maps in the Old Dairy gave us some options. This was our second fairly short, circular walk from our Airbnb and this time we were hoping to arrive back in the dry.

I love the stone bridges here and the white-washed houses and the stunning countryside. The hamlet of Millthrop is just down the road and is a pretty village. There’s a splendid row of cottages with a gentle curve of the frontages. This garden was so stunning although I wouldn’t have wanted to water all those pots!

After lunch and with the sun shining (at last), we decided to drive over to the market town of Hawes, stopping on the way to see ‘Cotter Force’ which is a secluded waterfall. The joy of this waterfall is that it’s easily accessible. You walk across a narrow bridge, along a stile-free public right of way which is suitable for buggies and wheelchairs and the short path leads from here to the waterfall. As you can see, it was well worth going to check it out.

The town of Hawes is a bustling market town in the Yorkshire Dales. Yes we had driven out of Cumbria, into a different county … but only just. The National Park Centre and the Dales Countryside Museum are both found there but Hawes is also famous for its Wensleydale cheese. The Creamery has a large shop and you can also go on tours to see the cheese being made. We did visit the shop which was packed full of people (it’s a popular tourist place), so we treated ourselves to some cheese and then headed back into the Main Street.

It’s a wide street, bustling on that afternoon with life – probably the good weather had brought people out. After looking in a few local shops we had a choice of at least three pubs along the street. We chose one and spent a pleasant time sat in the sun enjoying an excellent pint of beer and watching the world go by.

We rounded off a very pleasant day with an excellent Italian meal in Sedbergh at Al Forno. Warm, friendly service and delicious fresh pastas and pizza.

**Dent village with Dent Station (Main picture).**

I should explain that neither my man nor I are steam train enthusiasts but the next day we decided to drive to Dent and then go by train to walk to the famous Ribble Valley Viaduct to watch a steam train going across. This doesn’t happen every day!

The drive from Sedbergh was interesting as the road winds through a narrow valley called Dentdale, which is on the western slopes of the Pennines. Dent village has lots of history and boasts a Museum and Heritage Centre, a few shops, a fine Grade One listed church and pubs which are also B&B’s. There’s stunning landscape all around and many walkers come to the area as The Dales Way cuts through the village. It was a superb day when we were there but I can imagine life is tough in the winter and was even tougher over the centuries.

If you are expecting to catch a train from the village of Dent …forget it. Anyone expecting to walk to the station would have quite a job. The road is steep and narrow and even in the car it felt further than the four miles.The station is perched high up on the hillside and is on the Settle to Carlisle line and is the highest operational station on the National Rail network in England.

The station house itself is now a private house and as there was no means to buy a ticket we had a free ride to the Ribblehead Railway Station There was more life here and thankfully the station master, who was manning a small shop had a key to the loo. Feeling relieved (quite literally!), off we set down the path towards the Ribblehead Viaduct.

The viaduct is very impressive and what a lovely day it was to sit around waiting for the train to go across. I’m rather proud of the picture below even though it’s quite a distant shot. Of course no sooner had we spotted the train coming it was over the viaduct in next to no time but it had been a great sight and we felt it had definitely been worth coming up here.

**Steam locomotive 34046 Braunton built in 1946**.

We didn’t get a free train journey on the way back and felt the price to go just a few miles and only one stop was expensive but as we had only paid for one way, we had no grounds to complain! Had another hearty meal that night at The Dalesman pub in Sedbergh, our second visit. Excellent reasonably priced pub food and good wine and beer.

**View from the train heading from Ribblehead station to Dent station.**

For our last day in Cumbria we decided to drive to Ullswater, after all we were staying near ‘The Lakes’. It’s true to say that roads in this part of the world mean the journey takes quite a while irrespective of what is says on the map. Being on holiday we weren’t in a hurry but I imagine some of the locals get a little frustrated with tourists clogging up the narrow country roads.

Stopping en route to buy yet another excellent baguette for lunch from the friendly Spar shop in Sedburgh we headed off towards Ullswater, 35miles. We noticed lots of signs alerting us to red squirrels in the area, unfortunately the only ones we saw were on the signs. Our first stop was the car park for the National Trust’s wood and waterfall known as Aira Force. It’s a popular place and finding a space to park wasn’t easy but we managed it. The woods are lovely with lots of very interesting trees, mostly evergreen, loved by red squirrels but they weren’t coming out that day.

The river is so clear and although the path in places is a little tricky we thoroughly enjoyed the circular walk going across the river and down the other side. Before that we stopped to take pictures of the waterfall including from the viewing platform which at present is closed due to a fallen tree.

**Aira Force waterfall and a rare picture of me!**

**Clear water cutting through the granite rock.**

Leaving the woods and feeling ready for lunch we found a pleasant spot at the side of Ullswater. Our friend who knows the area well said we were lucky to find anywhere during the summer months!

We could have stayed there for the rest of the afternoon but decided to go over to Ambleside. It’s a narrow, twisty road up and over the Kirkstone Pass beginning in Patterdale and ending in Ambleside. With its 1 in 4 gradient, stunning views all round, it’s a great drive and is the highest pass in the Lake District.

**Kirkstone Pass** **(r.h. picture features Lake Windemere).**

As you can see it’s quite some road and probably not one to tackle in the ice and snow. I’m not going to say too much about Ambleside other than it seemed very crowded after all the other places we’d been to. The weather was starting to close in and was getting quite chilly so we decided to have a hot drink …a good idea you would think. Unfortunately both the tea and the coffee at this lake-side cafe were terrible so we left after a short while and headed back to the tranquility of Sedbergh and ‘The Old Dairy’.

The ‘poshest’ place in the town to eat is The Black Bull and as it was the last night of our holiday we booked a table. We weren’t disappointed; the food was delicious and the restaurant had a great atmosphere. It was the perfect choice for our ‘final’ meal of the holiday.

I hope this account of our holiday in Cumbria might inspire you to visit this area. We only saw a couple of the lakes and just explored a small part of this beautiful county but it was enough to whet our appetite for The Lake District and I know we’ll be back.

Off to Menton in southern France all the way by train.

Holiday in Menton, France.

My man and I love trains and with the wonderful TGV and Eurostar it’s not difficult to wizz across Europe from London. The departure lounge at St Pancras is always packed with people sitting anywhere they can. All that space as you walk down between the arcade of shops and then at the end everyone is squeezed into this small holding area. Maybe sometimes it’s quieter but we’ve never seen it like that.

The TGV is a brilliant way to travel. You look out of the window at the cars going along the motorway and they seem to be travelling so slow …they’re not of course, it’s us flashing by. Within two and three quarters hours we’d arrived in sunny Avignon before travelling further south to Menton. The train goes a lot slower after Marseille but we didn’t mind; the weather and the terrain told us we were heading towards the glamorous Cote d’Azur with Menton being the last rail stop before Italy.

Hotel Lemon where we were staying for four nights was just down the road from Menton station. It was a perfect sized hotel for us with only eighteen rooms. Ours was right at the top of this French colonial style building, tucked away from everyone, the only snag being …there was no lift. The owner’s son was on hand fortunately and had no trouble taking both our cases, one on each shoulder up the two flights of stairs to our room – we were very grateful as by now we were definitely flagging.

The town of Menton in the South of France — The town of Menton – an interesting place to wander around.

I can’t say our meal in the town that evening was anything special but we made up for it after that. Our first full day there was spent discovering the town and walking along the promenade. Straightaway we loved the feel of the place. Menton is famous for its lemons and has a festival each year. As well as that it has apparently the most days of sunshine of anywhere in France. What a great boast, very good for tourism that’s for sure. As you can see from the pictures above it lived up to it reputation whilst we were there. I had to take a picture of these two art nouveau wall plaques – Alphonse Mucha painted decorative theatrical posters which was why these two were on the wall of a disused theatre. Good to see they hadn’t been vandalised.

That night we had as superb meal, not French but Italian. If you go to Menton do go to Le Napoli, their home-cooked meals are to die for! It’s more a locals restaurant than a tourist place which to be honest gave it a great atmosphere. The food, tasty sauces, the presentation, the price – everything was perfect. It was so good we went back there on our last night too.

Our second day in Menton and we were off exploring the hillside around the town. The Botanical Gardens of Val Rahmeh are delightful and very quiet. Entrance is just €7 which as they say on their website allows you to wander and enjoy the exotic, elegant, organised chaos of their gardens. Do check the opening times as the ‘old retainers’ go for lunch and they will get you out by 12.30 come hell or high water! The gardens are varied with paths winding through. It’s protected from the winds by the mountains which gives this exotic garden a subtropical micro climate.

I forgot to say that on our way up to the hills we walked through the historic old part of Menton and couldn’t believe how many passageways there are. It’s a mediaeval district with tiny houses built into the side of the hill. We never did find a way through to get out at the top road and maybe there isn’t one.

Cemetery du vieux chateau, Menton — Cemetery du vieux chateau

Leaving the garden we walked further up the hill coming out onto a main road and then turned into Park Pian which was full of olive trees (picture top left). It was so quiet and peaceful and a pleasure just to sit there for a while. Our next stop was the Cemetery du Vieux Chateau which as you would expect was equally quiet! If you follow my Blogs you’ll know how fond I am of cemeteries – well photographing them! This one has the best views of the old town and the harbour and some pretty good statues too. I was in my element taking pictures. There’s the grave of William Webb Ellis here. He is accredited with inventing the sport of rugby so this cemetery has become something of a pilgrimage site for rugby fans.

The rest of the day was spent flaking on the beach, reading and enjoying the sunshine. A couple of hours was enough; the beach was very rocky and quite uncomfortable and we only had a thin towel each. There was just one antidote to recover from our aching backs …a couple of beers at one of the bars along the promenade.

Roquebrune-Cap-Martin between Menton & Monaco — Roquebrune-Cap-Martin – a mediaeval village perched on an outcrop high over the Mediterranean

The next day we walked from our hotel to catch the number 100 bus which goes along the coast round to Monaco. We missed the stop by the first staircase which takes you up to Roquebrune-Cap-Martin but spotted the second in time for the driver to stop for us. It’s quite a steep walk up to the village which is perched on the edge of a cliff topped by a 10th century castle which offers a fabulous panoramic view. We were lucky to see the view as not long after we’d arrived at the castle the clouds started to roll in. The main tower is pretty much intact and in fact was rebuilt at the beginning of this century. The medieval village has narrow streets, lots of arched passageways and tiny individual shops and of course cafes and restaurants.

Roquebrune-Cap-Martin. Looks like we’re about to fall off the edge!

After refreshing ourselves with some local beer we made our way down to the corniche by the first staircase and decided to walk back to Menton along the promenade. By now we’re quite hungry and as luck would have it we came across a bakery with a cafe which was bustling with life and selling decent squares of pizzas and yummy cakes – perfect! I’m not sure how far it was to Menton except it felt a fair way so when we got back we headed off to the beach again for another couple hours R&R.

On our third full day we decided to visit Monaco and caught the 100 bus again. Monaco is the name of the country, it has several neighbourhoods and Monte-Carlo is one of these. (I looked this up!).

The Monte-Carlo Casino — The Casino de Monte-Carlo opened in 1863 and is the most prestigious of them all.

Our first stop after getting off the bus and walking along a street lined with very expensive shops (no surprise there), was to pick up a map from the tourist information office. We then walked though a small park with tropical plants and a manicured lawn to the ‘Place du Casino’, which says it all. There are four casinos in the Principality with the Casino de Monte-Carlo being the most luxurious. In the front, on the roundabout is the stunning ‘Sky Mirror’ designed by Anish Kapoor to reflect the fountain, the sky and the casino – it does that beautifully.

The harbour in Monaco with an enigmatic statue of ‘Le Plonger’ (the diver).

After watching the very smart limos drive sedately around the Place du Casino we headed off to walk around the marina on our way to the Prince’s Palace. It doesn’t cost anything to ogle these super yachts and it’s an interesting stroll. Loved the name of the motor cruiser registered in Poole …the name says it all. The statue of the diver was very impressive but despite trying to find if it was sculpted after anyone famous I’ve drawn a blank on that one.

The Prince's Palace and changing of the guard. — The Prince’s Palace. Every day at precisely 11.55 the Changing of the Guard takes place.

The Prince’s Palace of Monaco is the official residence of the Sovereign Prince of Monaco, H.S.H. Prince Albert II. Climbing up to the palace was a good aerobic exercise as there are plenty of steep paths and steps – there is an easier way but we like a challenge. We arrived at the square on the dot of 11.55, just as the guards were coming out. The Ceremony lasted about five minutes and although there were lots of tourists watching we managed to get near the front.

We then went to the shop to buy tickets for admission to the Palace which were 10 euros for adults. To my great surprise there was also an exhibition in the state rooms mostly of photographs and film of the afternoon on May 6th 1955 when Grace Kelly visited the Palace and met Prince Rainier. Less than a year after that this legendary film star married her prince. Sorry to disappoint if you’re visiting the palace this year, the exhibition ended on October 15th 2019. Even so, this 13th century Palace which was restored by Prince Rainier (with no expense spared) is magnificent with a spectacular marble staircase, opulent furnishings, frescoes, paintings and tapestries.

After that we were in need of something to eat but is there anywhere cheap to eat in this city? The answer is yes. Just by the market hall is an outside cafe selling drinks and sandwiches and panini at very reasonable prices. We felt quite pleased with ourselves but as by now it was mid afternoon it was time to head back to the station.

Two views of the harbour; inside the atrium of the casino; outside The Casino of Monte-Carlo — Around Monte-Carlo

One final thing we wanted to do was to go into the Casino de Monte-Carlo to have a peak inside – not to gamble but to admire the magnificent Atrium. It’s free to go in and photography is allowed. This superb space with its marble columns, frescoes and gold leaf everywhere is just amazing and impossible to photograph without any one else in the shot.

Did Monte-Carlo come up to our expectations? I’m not sure we had any. You can almost smell the money here but unlike Vegas this place is real. If it looks expensive, then it definitely is. It was well worth the visit but great to get back to some reality. For our last night in Menton we went back to the same Italian restaurant and the patron remembered us even down to the wine we’d drunk the first time!

When Saturday morning arrived we were sorry to leave Menton but as we were heading to Provence our sprits lifted fairly soon. We boarded the local train to Nice and then caught the TGV to Avignon. Next Blog … yes, it’s all about Provence!

Three go to Lisbon (Final Part)

Lisbon

Visiting a cemetery may not be on everyone’s holiday itinerary but I find them fascinating. So much scope for taking pictures and I don’t mean in a morbid way. There’s usually some beautiful statues and often on gravestones in Europe is a picture of the deceased person. Makes it somehow more personal. In this cemetery in Lisbon we came across a memorial to the firemen who had died in an incident in the city. (The memorial is the small picture below the statue).

At the far end of the cemetery is a separate area of graves dedicated to the men who gave their lives to the fire service. It was a peaceful spot, beautifully maintained with a superb view of the Tagus river with the 25th April Bridge bridge across. The cemetery is called Cemiterio dos Prazeres which bizarrely translates as the Cemetery of Pleasures. This would you believe, has become a popular tourist place to visit.

The website says …”When you walk through the large entrance gates and enter the central square, you don’t really notice how big this 20 hectare cemetery is. The paths along the graves are symmetrical, making Cemitério dos Prazeres look like a miniature city for the dead”. If you look at the picture (above), bottom right you can see what they mean. There are lots of avenues with small houses on either side which are the family mausoleums. They have little ‘front doors’ with glass windows which you can peer through and see the caskets …should you wish. Walking along this avenue felt a little weird so we decided to head out and find a beer. Fortunately as the cemetery is just by the terminus to the no 28 tram line, there was plenty of places to get a drink.

I should mention that if you do visit the cemetery there are famous Portuguese personalities buried there including actors, singers, writers and painters. Open every day of the week 0900-17.00.

And now it was our final day. We decided to walk first of all to the St Vincent Monastery to see if we could get in the church to look round. This imposing building dominates the skyline and is huge! Its name in Portuguese is ‘Mosteiro de Sao Vincente de Fora‘ which means ‘Monastery of St Vincent Outside the walls.’

If you go there don’t be put off by thinking it’s closed; walk through the archway on the right which takes you into the walled garden and the entrance is opposite. For a mere €5 you can wander round and enjoy the church, the collection of paintings, sculptures, the museum, an impressive gallery and from the top of the roof of the monastery you get amazing views. I’ve already mentioned that our friend doesn’t like heights so my man and I went up to to check it out. You can just make it out from the picture above that the rooftop has a balustrade and this runs all the way round. I’m so pleased I went down to tell Liz that it was really safe up there – she came up to the top and loved the all-round views.

The convent and church of 16th century St Vincent — The monastery and church of 16th century St Vincent

This beautiful church is in the heart of the Alfama district. Historically this area was associated with poverty, prostitution and squalor where once the poor and disadvantaged lived. Walking through the narrow cobbled streets with its ancient houses, fashionable shops and trendy cafes you could hardly believe it now. It’s a really interesting area with some very steep stone staircases where you can take in the view at the top before descending down to the maze of alley ways lined with tiny independent shops and bars.

We had a simple but delicious lunch at a cafe perched on the corner of one of the streets. We wobbled on our chairs a bit but there’s hardly any streets in the Alfama District which are flat. The fish was fresh, the beer quenched our thirst and if there were fumes from the cars passing close to our table, we didn’t mind. We had time to chat about our fab week in Lisbon; all the things we’d done and how we’ll definitely come back one day. The Alfama District is where Fado is said to have been born. It’s a melancholic style of singing said to be a deep expression of the Portuguese soul and originally associated with sailors and prostitution. This link will take you to five restaurant in Alfama where Fado is sung. uhttps://www.lisbonguru.com/5-best-fado-restaurants-alfama/ There are lots more restaurants and bars so you need to do your research as meals vary in price. To discover more about this traditional music there’s the Museum of Fado but sadly we just couldn’t fit that in before heading home.

The pictures below were all taken in the Alfama district

My favourite picture from our trip to Lisbon.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about our week in Lisbon. I felt I need to split the Blog into three parts otherwise it would have been too l-o-n-g! Thanks for sticking with it.

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: